Migratory birds at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve

04 Oct 2015

Mangroves are important for migratory birds. In September to March each year, birds from as far away as Siberia along the East Asian Australasian Flyway use Singapore as a resting point en route to Australia. Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve serves as both a wintering and resting point for migratory birds, especially as more and more traditional stops along the migratory route gets cleared for development.

The Reserve was recognised as a site of international importance for migratory birds, with Wetlands International presenting the Reserve a certificate to mark its formal entry into the East Asian Australasian Shorebird Site Network, which include Australia's Kakadu National Park, Hong Kong's Mai Po and Japan's Yatsu Tidal Flats.

Some of these rare migratory birds include the following:

1

Common Redshank

(Tringa tetanus)

The Common Redshank is a common winter visitor and passage migrant to Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve between August and April. One particular bird which was first caught and ringed in 1996 at an age of 2 years old was recaptured on 4 September 2015. This indicates that the Common Redshank can survive to about 20 years!

Photo credit: National Parks Board

2

Black-tailed Godwit

(Limosa limosa)

The Black-tailed Godwit is an uncommon winter visitor and passage migrant to Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, with only one to two individuals recorded annually since 2000. However, on 15 September 2015, the Reserve recorded 32 Black-tailed Godwits. This is the highest number of Black-tailed Godwits recorded in the Reserve since 1996.